How to Start Career Planning Despite COVID-19

When COVID-19 hit early this year, time seemed to freeze. Many professionals feel like they have just been surviving since then, juggling work and home life while working remotely. Many others have faced layoffs and furloughs. Whatever the challenges, many mid-career professionals feel stagnant and unfulfilled in their careers. With so many obstacles, how can you continue career planning during a pandemic? 

We understand that it can feel impossible to make plans with so many unknowns. However, while there are many factors out of our control, it’s important to focus on what you can control in your life and in your career. Then you can make plans for those things that you can control. To help you identify these things, take some time to write down what you can currently control in your career. What goals can you set for those items? For example, would you like to work on a certain skill in the coming year? Would you like to work on bettering your work productivity? Write down 2-3 reasonable goals for each area for the next year. 

Next, write down what you feel is out of your control. Then try to identify things that you feel are out of your control that you would like to have greater control over. Is there anything you can do to improve those areas? For example, do you feel that you don’t have any control over your work hours? Would you like to have some flexibility while working from home? This could be something that you discuss with your manager during your performance review or in an upcoming meeting. Talk to your manager about a reasonable plan. Perhaps you could have some flexibility one or two days a week. 

Do you feel like your work-life balance is out of your control? Talk to your household about how everyone is feeling, what reasonable changes you could make, and how to respect each other’s work schedules to a greater degree. For example, could you have a dedicated family evening where you eat a meal together? Could you discuss how to handle virtual work meetings, perhaps using a room with a door? Even small changes can help you find greater balance. 

It is possible to find purpose and deeper meaning in your life and in your career, even during COVID-19. Talk to us to find out more: schedule a free consult today.